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#1925 of 2,648 schools in NC

Swain County High School

High School · Swain County Schools · Bryson City, NC

A high school in Bryson City, NC where students score 3 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1415 Fontana Road, Bryson City, NC 28713

  • Math 46% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 54% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 77.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.7Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.69 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.4Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency45.6% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.2% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-10.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+0.6 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+3.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile48th
College Readiness4.1Below Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate77%
AP Participation11.4%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.8Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.6:1
District spending per student$14,518
Chronic Absenteeism58.5%

Students at Swain County High School score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency46%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency54%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 5 points since 2019, reaching 50% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
92%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
42%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
3%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
52%
2025
Math
46%
ELA
54%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

99.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Swain County High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 2Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,140/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bryson City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$56,368

Median home value

$231,300

Median rent

$707/mo

College educated

25.1%

Homeownership

74.2%

Poverty rate

16.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 28713; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
11.4% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics5sports offered
3 boys'·2 girls'·5 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

1 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cherokee Extension SchoolEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–121.6 mi102Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Swain County Schools

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$14,518NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Swain County High School is listed in Swain County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Swain County High School

Swain County High School is a public high school in Bryson City, NC, part of Swain County Schools, serving approximately 559 students in grades 9th-12th with a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 out of 10 and ranks #1,925 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Swain County High School

What grades does Swain County High School serve?

Swain County High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Swain County High School?

Swain County High School has an enrollment of approximately 559 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Swain County High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Swain County High School is 13.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Swain County High School rank in NC?

Swain County High School ranks #1,925 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Swain County High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Swain County High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Swain County High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Swain County High School has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Swain County High School a charter school?

No, Swain County High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Swain County High School a Title I school?

No, Swain County High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Swain County High School?

99.5% of students at Swain County High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
559
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Swain County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
58.5%
4-Year Graduation
77.0%
Area population (ZIP 28713)
8,441
Area average commute
23.6 min
Area median age
46.9
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 28713; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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